Wilderness
by DirectionallyChallengedKenshi
Summary: Wilderness: Queen is the Rusty desperate for a wild life. Whitepaw is the friendly Graypaw. Swifttail is the wise Bluestar. And Coldclaw is the scheming, evil Tigerclaw. My take on Warrior Cats. I don't own any references to Warriors, Erin Hunter does. I only own all my OCs. A friendly, slightly angsty-at-times fanfiction. Rated T for any blood and violence. Please read and review!
1. Wildcats

"Here, kitty! Come and get your _looooovely _dindins!" crooned a honey-ish voice into her back garden. "Come _oooon_, Queen! Come on!" But Queen sat still, oblivious to her owner's commands. She sat on a fencepost, and thought dreamily of catching live prey, with the thrill of the wilderness wriggling between her paws. This had never been in her experience; she had never been able to catch anything. Her silver eyes were distant, as she gazed in front of her. The wind blew through her thick, black fur, and she sighed. Then a movement in the forest backing onto her garden caught her eye. She squinted into the shadows, and she could see a pair of feline green eyes staring back at her. Since Speckle, her only companion, had left, she was alone. Maybe this was her new friend? She looked at the unblinking, unmoving eyes in the forest. Queen sat on her haunches, and then had other ideas. Stealthily she crouched down, and crept forwards, the brambles in the woodlands snagging at her coat, long blades of grass whipping her legs. Then Queen pounced.

There was a frightened squeal as the creature she'd seen kicked and thrashed.

"Gotcha- whooooaaaa!" Queen cried as she was catapulted into the undergrowth. She landed heavily on one leg, and momentarily she whimpered and winced. Then she looked up, and gingerly tested putting weight on her leg. Looking up, she saw a cat of roughly similar size to herself, and female too. This female had short, sleek grey fur that was dappled with white patches. She hissed. Queen had thoughts about turning tail and running, but this was a wildcat about to be shown that Queen was strong - and _tough_. Queen gave a ferocious hiss and leapt onto the other cat. The same as before, and what Queen had hoped for, the cat attempted to kick her away. But, while in midair, Queen twisted around and as soon as her paws touched the forest floor, she darted like a bullet back to her opponent. She pinned her to the ground with her paws, and puffed the fur on her chest up as she realised her victory. The other cat was quiet, and had stopped struggling.

"_Who are you?_" Queen hissed. "This is my territory, and I-" The other cat's eyes flashed, and she stood up and pinned Queen to the ground, as Queen had just done before.

"_Your _territory? This forest happens to belong to EarthClan! So why are _you_ here?" spat the other cat. "State your name and clan!" Queen was confused. _Clans_?

"I... I'm Queen, I'm-" she stuttered, but before she could finish, the wildcat cut in again.

"_Queen_? Ugh!" she acted disdainful, and let her go, as if touching her was disgusting. "Your name... so you are a... you are owned by those no-minds?" she hissed.

"No...minds? You mean humans?" Queen asked, and the wildcat nodded.

"Brainless fools... well, you're brainless, as you think that having sloppy gruel or rabbit-dropping lookalikes are food! And the feeling of being free, _gone_! Only let out when the no-minds choose to! You think you have a life, compared to us clans. Well, I-" But the she-cat was cut off as a sleek brown queen, flanked by a huge tom with black and silver markings, padded silently into the forest glade. Queen immediately smelled them and sensed them, and she whipped around, spitting.

"Don't!" the she-cat hissed urgently. "It's my clan leader, Swifttail!"

"I see that your reflexes and senses are good, but we have been watching you both. You both, petcat and you, apprentice Whitepaw, need to concentrate." the tom growled.

"Now, Coldclaw, we must be kind - this is a new apprentice, and a _petcat_." purred Swifttail. Queen crouched and looked at the leaves between her paws.

"Petcat! What is your name?" meowed Swifttail, her long brown tail swishing smoothly through the pine needles that lay on the cold earth.

"Q-Queen." came the whispered reply. Swifttail looked faintly amused.

"Coldclaw." The leader beckoned, and he padded over to her, a soft snarl rumbling in his throat, and he shot a look of hostility at Queen. The two cats whispered secretively, while the she-cat edged over to Queen's side.

"Hey," she hissed out of the corner of her mouth, and she nudged Queen with her paw. "Sorry about fighting you before, I thought you were another clan cat. Why are you here?"

Queen shuffled her paws uncomfortably.

"Well..." she began.

"Queen?" yowled Swifttail, and Coldclaw sat behind her, sapphire eyes burning with spiteful hatred.

"Yes, uh... Swifttail?" meowed Queen, not knowing what to call the clan leader.

"I saw you fight. We are short on warriors, and you look strong. You look healthy enough. Are you willing, Queen... to join our clan?"

Queen's usually overactive jaw got a well-earned break as it dropped open.

"J-join? You _mean_ it?" Queen screeched excitedly. Swifttail smiled a wry smile.

"The EarthClan leader does not lie about these things," came the calm reply. Queen blushed sheepishly.

"Follow." Swifttail ordered.

"E-excuse me?" stammered Queen. _Follow_? She wasn't sure if she wanted to give up her comfortable life yet. But not feeling the cool air on her pelt, to not catch wild prey...

"Not you, Queen. The clan cats. But for your answer, we will come at sunrise." Swifttail meowed. Queen nodded her reply, and then bounded back up to her home, to spend her last night in comfort.


	2. Mud

Queen was waiting under an old oak, listening to the singing thrushes, the whisper of the breeze and the creaking of the aged trees surrounding her. She sensed a sharp scent, and whirled around, becoming nose-to-nose with an unfamiliar cat. Arching her back, she spat. The other cat smiled, and Queen sensed the stale scent of Swifttail, the familiar scent of Whitepaw, and the rancid _stench_ of Coldclaw - he prowled around, malevolently narrowing his eyes. On top of all this, Queen could smell a faint no-mind, and the new cat's scent.

"Are you here to take me to your clan's territory?" asked Queen breathlessly, her mind spinning as she realised this choice would open up all sorts of new opportunities for her.

"So you accept our offer?" the cat asked. Queen nodded enthusiastically, clearly eager.

"Then follow. Do not fall behind."

The cats set off at a furious pace, running through the forest with speed, agility, stamina and knowledge of the placement of all the trees. Queen found this harder. She skidded to avoid trees several times, she fell behind and was out of breath after a quarter of an hour. Eventually the cats stopped at a river. Coldclaw spoke: "This the WaterClan's territory boundary. Remember the scent." Queen sniffed, and got a smell that was a mixture of fish and water, and other cats. The cats began to walk again. Unfortunately, Queen was angled diagonally while she walked, so she began to meander into WaterClan's territory. Even worse, there was a patrol.

The WaterClan cats hissed and leaped through the air, aiming straight at Queen. She screeched in surprise as one of the cats latched onto her back with their claws, tearing at her soft flesh. The EarthClan cats joined the battle, and the clearing was alive with writhing, screeching, battling cats. The battle was bloody, but the WaterClan cats were sent back into their territory, crying like kits, blood pouring from open gashes and wounds. The only WaterClan cat remaining was Goldeneye, a WaterClan warrior. He spat at the EarthClan cats, then paused to sniff, and a slow smirk crept onto his feline features. Despite standing awkwardly from a foreleg wound, pain obvious in his topaz-coloured eyes, he laughed spitefully at Coldclaw.

"So EarthClan are so _desperate_ that they've resorted to recruiting _petcats_?" he sniggered cruelly, aiming his laughter directly at Queen, who shrank back at his remarks.

"Petcat... why are you joining the clans? Leaving your soft, comfortable, well-fed, petted life with no-minds... for a life of hardship, arguments, warmth only in fullleaf, hardly any food-" he sneered at Queen's uneasy expression. But Whitepaw came to her rescue,

"You're saying that a no-minds life is luxurious, and that a clan life is bitter? Do _you_, Goldeneye, wish to leave your clan and become a petcat?" she meowed directly. Goldeneye hissed, and unsheathed his claws; an act of menace. But Whitepaw was unfazed by his threatening actions, knowing that she had other cats to help her in a fight.

"So," Whitepaw continued, "This petcat (Queen noticed that Whitepaw didn't mention her name to avoid more unkindness from Goldeneye) decided that a soft life as a petcat was unsatisfactory, so she left and came to join us. This shows that she is a clan cat at heart, over _you_, Goldeneye - who is saying that a life with no-minds is brilliant!"

"But I am a clan cat, I was born here, this shows I have clan blood! SkyClan knows me, I belong here-" babbled Goldeneye, with a hint of desperation through his defiant attitude. But Whitepaw interrupted him yet again, "Not all clan-born warriors are cut out for the life of a clan cat. Maybe you are a prime example of a clan cat meant to be with no-minds." she meowed smoothly, "But for now, Goldeneye, you should just run back home, to your _clan_. Or should that be-" Whitepaw crept closer, slinking her tail near him, unnerving him, "-To your _no-minds_!" she yowled the last part - and Goldeneye had the perfect reaction. He turned tail, going so quick he was scrabbling and slipping in the leaves, and he ran back into his territory so quick that he fell onto his nose after the first couple of metres. Queen laughed, along with Whitepaw and the stranger cat. Coldclaw scowled, and swatted at the other cats, "Come on, Whitepaw, _Queen_, and Sunfur(Queen noticed that the stranger she-cat's fur was a bright golden, tawny colour), we must be going now. It is almost sunsink." The cats calmed down, and nodded, and Queen smiled as they set off again._ She was going to be an EarthClan apprentice soon!_

The smile was still plastered onto Queen's face, but it was grim - wading through cold mud at moonhigh was not her idea of fun. She thought wistfully about her petcat life: right now she'd be curled up on her no-minds' bed, warm, full and... lonely. Here she had company of other cats, and an adventure. Then Queen looked up - the other cats were staring at her from a mossy bank, clear of the mud that she was still standing in, alarm in their eyes, even Coldclaw's. Queen frowned, and meowed, "What's wrong, guys?" It was Whitepaw that answered her, "You're in the sinkmud patch! Get out! _Get out!_" she yowled desperately. Queen realised that she was up to her shoulders in the peaty bog. She struggled, but fell lopsidedly and her right shoulder got wedged into the mud. Slowly she sank, her right side completely sunk into the mud. Her right eye was half covered in mud, and her vision was obscured as the mud still crept higher. Whitepaw and Sunfur were dashing around, trying to find a branch for Queen to cling onto. Meanwhile, Coldclaw was extending a paw towards Queen, but his leg wasn't long enough, and he watched her mouth sink under the mud, relying on her nose to breathe. But soon her nose too was covered, and her eyes glazed over as the oxygen was cut off from her lungs. Her entire head sank under the mud, and Queen was gone from the sight of the horrified cats.

Queen gasped and choked on the mud clogging up her mouth and throat, including that of which she had swallowed. She coughed, and spat up some mud, wiped her face with her paws and looked up at the two desperate faces staring at her - one grey with white flecks, the other tawny gold. Whitepaw and Sunfur! So she _was_ alive!

"Queen! You're alive!" yowled the two cats joyfully. Behind them, Queen noticed, sat a muddy Coldclaw, covered in peat - with a small clump of purple cloth from her collar hanging from his mouth. He had rescued her from certain death! Queen caught his eye, and began to meow her thanks, but he looked away. Queen stumbled (she was stiff with all the drying mud, which was crumbling off with each paw step) over to him. When she was beside him, he turned his head to look at her. She smiled and meowed, "Thank-you so much for saving me, Coldclaw!" He frowned and turned his head away once again.

"Coldclaw." meowed Queen, and as he turned his head, Queen licked his cheek, ignoring the mud that got into her mouth. The gesture of affection was like an electric shock to Coldclaw - he leapt up and scrambled away from Queen, practically panting with shock. Then a scowl edged in at the corner of his mouth, while Queen beamed at him and said, "You... saved my life. Is there anything I can do?" Coldclaw scowled at her, and replied, "Yes. Don't ever touch me again, you disgusting _petcat_. Now hurry up and get your sorry hind to the clan camp. _Now_!" Queen sank low to the ground, and meekly dipped her head at Coldclaw. He leaped up the bank in one swift movement, and the other cats followed suit. Queen sighed heavily, and wearily trudged in their wake.


	3. Apprenticeship

**Sorry, I kept forgetting to write author's notes. So here one is!**

**... Please review. I've already got five more chapters planned, so they'll all be up in about ten minutes. :)**

Queen got many curious stares when she slunk into the camp, at the heels of the small patrol sent to pick her up. A small tabby kit even darted towards her and dabbed at her with a paw. Coldclaw hissed a warning and the kit returned to it's mother's side. Swifttail stood on the highest rock protruding from the ground, and called,

"May all cats at least three moons old come to the highrock." came the piercing yowl. All the cats flocked to the clearing around the stone, and the silver tabby queen reassured the kits as she left the nursery where they resided. Then Swifttail spoke again,

"I'm sure you all know that a petcat has been chosen to join this clan." Surprised murmurings erupted in the throng of dismayed cats, but Swifttail silenced them by emitting a loud, piercing screech, which rang into the new silence it was intended to create. Swifttail began to speak again, in her deliberate, clear, pure meow that every cat listened to in awe. "Yes, it _is_ true. I _have _chosen to recruit a petcat, we are short on warriors and apprentices: we lost many of our kits to coughcold, and you know that without kits, there are no apprentices, and with no apprentices, there are no warriors. DarkClan is becoming worse; they are getting restless and want our territory to hunt in.

"Therefore, I have chosen Queen (Queen heard many muffled sniggers at her name) to join us," The last words were final. Then, "Her name will be Duskpaw." One cat piped up, "Will there be a naming ceremony?" Swifttail cast a cold gaze down onto Queen, then looked back at the other expectantly waiting she-cat. She frowned for a moment, as if deliberating over the choice of this enquiry, then meowed clearly,

"No."

_Duskpaw! What an amazing new name! I still can't believe that I'm an apprentice in EarthClan..._ thought Duskpaw dreamily. Then the cat that had asked about a naming ceremony ambled up to her, and prodded her flank with a paw. Duskpaw acknowledged the cat with a nudge and a smile, and she meowed, "Hey. I'm, well... you know, Duskpaw." The other cat grinned. "You know, I _did _hear!" she meowed, her eyes radiating laughter. "I'm Blossompaw! Nice to meet you!" Now scrutinizing the apprentice standing in front of her, Duskpaw noticed that this apprentice had a pale red pelt, which was dappled with darker burgundy patches in the shapes of petals and different blooms; almost like leopard pawprints. Then Blossompaw meowed, "Uh, Duskpaw... why do you have mud all over you?" Duskpaw squirmed sheepishly.

"Well, it's a long story..." she began, as Whitepaw trotted up.

"Hi!" Whitepaw exclaimed amiably. The other two cats meowed a greeting in return, and Duskpaw continued: "So we were walking through a bog, and it turned out that I was walking through a sinkmud patch, so I started sinking. I was already up to my shoulders before I realised this, so when I struggled I just got stuck further into the mud. The mud came up to my eyes, and my mouth and nose, and it was so horrible when I couldn't breathe! The last thing I saw before I blacked out was you, Whitepaw, and Sunfur trying to find a branch, and with Coldclaw trying to reach me!" By now, a small gaggle of cats had assembled around Duskpaw. She looked at them, expecting them to have been entranced by her story, but instead they were sneering:

"You think that was an adventure?"

"Do you _really _think that was an adventure, _petcat_?"

"Honestly! How weak!"

"How _stupid _and weak!"

"You're not wrong there, Notchear!"

The almost unblemished cat called Notchear glowed, but smirked even harder when she snarled; it just seemed to make him prouder when he heard Duskpaw's retaliation of aggression. He yowled, "Petcat. If you want to be a warrior, you must be able to fight. And, from your puny appearance, you are obviously-" But this was enough to make Duskpaw go wild. She spat and leaped at him, dug her claws into his back and ripped her paws up. Notchear howled in pain, and blood spattered the ground. Then he grabbed her collar; the soft purple material easy to get his teeth into. The grip of his jaw was like iron; he yanked and wrenched his head around as Duskpaw struggled to loosen his mouth; to get oxygen. Another near-death experience gave Duskpaw the adrenaline kick she so badly needed - she kicked with all her might, and, with a loud snapping sound, her collar snapped and Notchear tumbled away, the violet strip of material drooping limply from his jaws. Spittle dripped from his mouth, mingled with the blood from another tear in his already nicked ear. He glowered at Duskpaw, and slunk off to the medicat.

Duskpaw growled again, surveying the rapidly retreating cats around her, as if challenging one to come forwards. Whitepaw and Blossompaw ran up, congratulating her loudly. They cried: "Oh, SkyClan! Wow! That was- that was-" they gabbled breathlessly, "-_Awesome_!" Duskpaw smiled and shrugged her dark shoulders. A sudden 'I've got an idea' look entered Whitepaw's face, then she whispered to Blossompaw, who nodded excitedly. "Hey, Duskpaw, shall Whitepaw give you the _grand tour_?" Blossompaw meowed. Duskpaw nodded eagerly, and Blossompaw meowed, then she headed of to her duties. They set off. "So, Duskpaw, here's the apprentice den..." Whitepaw meowed, and used a tail flick to motion towards a cosy den full of smooth tree stumps, mossy clumps and chattering felines. _That was where I'm gonna sleep near my new friends! _thought Duskpaw gladly. "...The warrior's den..." continued Whitepaw, again motioning with her tail towards a slightly larger den, with more tree stumps, more moss and warriors instead of apprentices. Coldclaw sat in the centre, rigidly poised, his cerulean irises smoldering with contempt. "...And here's the elder den..." Duskpaw peered through the narrow gap that led into a hollow boulder, comfortably warm but not stifling, where all the contented elderly cats meowed to one another from their warm, mossy nests. Duskpaw smiled with happiness. "So- hey, Duskpaw? Come on!" called Whitepaw, and Duskpaw hopped neatly over to her. "As I was saying, this is the medicat's den - I hope Notchear's gone..." Whitepaw looked around the little clearing, then smiled in triumph, indicating that Notchear was not present. "Anyway, our medi- oh hi, Calmheart!" Whitepaw greeted a passing warrior, who grinned. "Where was I? Oh yes, our medicat is called Mudface - you'll see why..." As she finished speaking, a pale orange tabby came out of the medicat den - Duskpaw could see why she was called Mudface; on her face, unlike her coral pelt, was a messy, peat-coloured marking, with liquid brown eyes staring solemnly yet warmly at the two apprentices. She smiled and waved her tail, then disappeared back into her den. Whitepaw continued, "Here's the clearing where everyone eats..." The clear area full of cheerful cats made Duskpaw's heart swell with pride of being part of EarthClan. Whitepaw continued chatting as they walked, until they reached a tree with a large hollow, about three tail lengths up. "This is Swifttail's den. We can only go in there if we're summoned, or if it's an emergency," meowed Whitepaw, motioning to a cat rushing to the entrance. "Oh, I wonder why Paleface's going there now..." Swifttail appeared, alert at the entrance, and yowled, "EarthClan! I know that it is short notice, but secure the boundaries! Guard the nursery! Position cats at the entrance, a DarkClan attack is approaching!"

To Duskpaw's surprise, there wasn't a wild panicked rush - instead the cats did exactly as Swifttail had ordered, and the other cats readied themselves. Whitepaw looked around in agitation, and mewed, "Wow! A battle already, on your first day?" she addressed Duskpaw. "Lucky you!" But this wasn't lucky at all. Spitting and rasping, the DarkClan cats burst into the clan territory. Within a few seconds, the clearing was crawling with battling cats. They leaped and scratched, bit and bled as cats met to fight. Duskpaw shrank back - this was not what she'd thought that a clan life was like! Through wide silver eyes, ahead she could see Swifttail battling the DarkClan leader - broad and muscular, he seemed to dwarf Swifttail, but her slight appearance gave her the agility and ability to slink through hard blows from his splayed paws. Looking left, Whitepaw and Blossompaw scratched and ambushed a scraggly grey tom, who ran into the woods after a ferocious bite to the hind leg from Whitepaw. They immediately resumed fighting a small ginger queen, who fought with the strength of WildClan. To her right, Duskpaw could see Coldclaw fighting the DarkClan deputy, whose muscles rippled beneath his flesh, mirroring Coldclaw's large structure. Then Duskpaw saw an EarthClan apprentice struggling, and she leaped into the battle, into the midst of the cats. Clinging on ferociously, she hissed and held on for dear life.

Choking dust settled around the clearing. Only the DarkClan leader and deputy remained. "Shadowtail... Thorngrip... why are you doing this? Why are you attacking us?" asked Swifttail, her almond-shaped eyes pleading and searching for a truthful, sufficient answer. It was the deputy, Thorngrip, who answered, "We found your scent in our territory. We automatically knew that you were hunting here - we found a cat as well as the scent." The whole crowd of cats gasped audibly when they heard the news of the cat found by DarkClan. Cats looked fearfully at one another; an elderly cat named Spindleleg croaked, "Who... who was that cat?" This was the unspoken question many cats had been thinking. All waiting with baited breath, the EarthClan cats watched as a bedraggled form was dragged out from behind the gorse fence reinforcing the den walls. Swifttail's eyes darkened when she saw the warrior - it was the EarthClan deputy, Pantherpelt.


	4. Deadjaw's Last Wish

"Pantherpelt! Why?" came the melancholy cry from Swifttail's mouth. Her desperate eyes gazed at him, and he sighed. Speaking in a deep, clear, distinctive voice, he meowed, "Listen! I only went into DarkClan territory because _I _found a DarkClan warrior scent." He looked purposely at the DarkClan leader, amber eyes burning with bitterness. He yowled, "I know which cat it is. But there is one problem - there was another scent. From EarthClan." There were yowls of dismay, and then silence hushed the clearing as the EarthClan deputy spoke again, answering the unspoken question from all of the cats. "The cat from DarkClan was Flowershine," The DarkClan cats howled; Flowershine was Shadowtail's only daughter. Then Pantherpelt meowed haltingly, "And the cat from EarthClan was obviously seeing her... it was Deadjaw." All horrified eyes turned to a cat with a dark, mottled pelt, his emerald eyes shining with horror above a twisted jaw. He suddenly threw himself onto the floor in front of Swifttail, who looked at him in alarm. "Please, Swifttail! I can explain..." Duskpaw almost expected Swifttail to exile the cat, but Swifttail smiled benignly, if not grimly, and nodded unhurriedly. Deadjaw began to speak, "When I was an apprentice, I was going across the DarkPath (Duskpaw wondered whether he meant a road; the dark shapes as cars and trucks.) when I was hit by a truck - it did this to my jaw, and she saved me then. It happened again yesterday. I couldn't stop seeing her since."

Swifttail paced the floor, then nodded slowly, hesitating as she thought his story over. "So you are breaking the warrior code for your life?" she meowed eventually. Deadjaw lowered his head and barely nodded. "So you have broken the warrior code three times now." Swifttail inspected. He looked up in disbelief, and she meowed calmly, "You ate prey on your first hunting assignment. You tried to overthrow the clan once; but I valued your skills and only punished you lightly. Now I hear that you are in love with another clan's member? This is just _unacceptable_!" Swifttail looked sadly at Deadjaw, and he mewed quietly. "I have no choice," whispered Swifttail, "But to resort to exile. I'm so sorry, but I cannot tolerate any more." Deadjaw clearly struggled to say something, but he didn't argue. Instead he meowed pitifully, "Please, Swifttail... I accept my banishment, but grant me one thing... that I can do one harmful thing to the newest apprentice. It is an old ritual, is it not?"

Swifttail looked at him, shocked to the core by his completely ridiculous words. "Deadjaw, you know that was only an old ritual! We do not carry out the deeds of the most powerful reigning monarchs of the past! We cannot possibly..." she gazed at Duskpaw. "Please, Swifttail, grant me this one thing before I become a rogue, looked down on..." Swifttail looked down at her chocolate paws, as if deliberating, and finally lifted her head. "If you must. I must grant a wish before exile, it is a commonly modern ritual. Our new apprentice is... Duskpaw. She's the one with a black pelt and silvermoon eyes," Deadjaw looked at Duskpaw with a glint in his green eyes. He spat, and leaped at her. She squealed as he tore at her belly, hissing but with sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry, apprentice, but this is my wish..."

Eventually he leaped out of the clearing, never to come back. Duskpaw lay in a bloody heap. One of her ears were torn and bleeding; her sides heaved as the dust around her turned red. She gingerly lifted her head. Everything was spinning, and her sinuses were pounding with pain. She scrabbled and pulled herself up into a sloped, slouched position that only needed one paw for balance. Looking at her, the surrounding cats could see that Deadjaw was a ferocious warrior. Her left ear was torn in half, she had several rake marks on her abdomen, where blood was pouring and some ribs could be seen at her chest. The skins on her forelegs were in tatters, and her hindlegs were barely supporting her; they were in worse condition than her forelegs. Blossompaw and Whitepaw were staring in horror at their friend, and Swifttail screeched, "Deadjaw! Wherever you are now, if you can or cannot hear me, you have done the damage to scar this cat forever! The laws of the ritual were to only do damage to leave faint scars!" The faint reply was, "This is what you get for exiling me!" Obviously, without showing it, Deadjaw had been seething at his banishment, and had pretended to be loyal to the clans so he had the chance to leave a mark of himself forever in the clan. "This is not the last of me! I'll get all of the cats I can and fight you back, Swifttail! This is not the last of me!" His cries died down. Duskpaw was lying, still and silent, in the dust. Mudface ran over to her. "This is terribly severe..." she meowed sadly. "...I don't know if she'll survive."

During the ritual, Shadowtail and Thorngrip had slunk away. Pantherpelt had also gone to see Mudface, along with several other injured cats. Blossompaw's mother had been close friends with a medicine cat, so she went with Whitepaw to help the minor injuries. An apprentice medicat, called Herbpaw, went with Mudface to help Pantherpelt. Duskpaw was motionless inside the medicat's den, but she was strong and was breathing steadily, according to Mudface. A pale tabby queen, called Shineflower, crept quietly into the mossy den to visit Duskpaw. She scooped up some marigold in her golden paw and scattered it over Duskpaw's almost still form. This was ritual of mourning a cat before their death.


	5. Recovery

**Chapter 5, as promised! R'n'R! :)**

The next few weeks were rough. For the beginning of her recovery, Duskpaw had been sleeping heavily, due to some tutsan (better known as Hypericum Androsaemum, a medicinal plant that heals wounds and induces sleep) combined with sage (again better known as Salvia, another medicinal plant that prevents seizures and spinal cord problems, stops paralysis and boosts the organism's health). After a month of the concoction, Duskpaw began showing signs of improvement; she began moving around feebly and managed to eat a little rabbit. After two months, she began to communicate again, reconstructing sentences to sound understandable. But on the dawning day of the third month, there was another DarkClan attack.

Cats leaped into the camp, and all Duskpaw was able to hear was ferocious hisses and yowling. Mudface told her to stay still, but she hobbled out of the den. She could see the fighting, but a DarkClan cat broke away from the midst of the fight and blundered straight into Duskpaw, who screeched in pain and numbly gave a stiff swipe at the cat. The cat looked at her, and Duskpaw immediately knew that this was Flowershine - almost mistaken in her name to Shineflower, but like Blossompaw, she had flowery marks on her pelt, and her coat was luminescent in the firstsun. Unknown to the other cats in her clan, she had still been seeing Deadjaw, and knew that this was the cat he had attacked with a vengeance before his exile. A sneer crept onto her whiskered face, and she knew that SkyClan had sent her a chance to finish what her forbidden lover had started. She began to claw at Duskpaw from all directions, darting around and delivering nasty bites. In the thick of the battle, Swifttail and Whitepaw together heard a pained screech from the medicat's den. _Duskpaw! _Immediately came into their minds. Simultaneously, they both tore away from the battle, Whitepaw a little quicker than Swifttail - who thought that she was a she-cat from DarkClan and leaped on her and raked at her. Realizing that this was a cat from her own clan, she apologized and ran swiftly (hence her name) to the cat that had emitted the yowl.

A bloody mass lay on the ground, being scratched mercilessly by a shining she-cat. _Flowershine! _Swifttail jumped, hissing ferociously, onto the evil she-cat's back, as she was delivering the final, fatal bite to the back of the neck, above the spine. Catching her by surprise, Flowershine gave a frightened mew and fell onto her side. Then Swifttail howled in pain as she felt sharp claws being dragged down her side. Turning around, she could see Coldclaw dragging Paleface, the clan's messenger cat, off of Swifttail, as the battle-raged she-cat dug her claws into Swifttail. "You stupid cat! I always knew you were a traitor! You deserve death!" Coldclaw howled, but Swifttail could see that blood was dripping into her eyes, blinding her. Swifttail screeched, "Coldclaw! Stop! She cannot see! She is sightless!" Coldclaw stopped and she wiped her eyes, and cried as the pain he had inflicted hurt her. She fell to the floor, and stopped breathing. Swifttail looked up, and noticed that there were no DarkClan cats left. The battle was over. Clumps of fur and puddles of blood littered the clearing, and the only deaths were Paleface's and a ginger queen from DarkClan called Lightfur. But _was _Paleface really _dead_? Swifttail gave her a small sniff. "Mudface!" came the general cry for the medicat to see the injured. But no medicat appeared. Swifttail frowned and looked around. The medicat was nowhere to be seen. "Coldclaw! Organize a search patrol to search for Mudface!" But Coldclaw shook his head. "There's no need. Mudface is there."

He used his nose to motion in the direction of Mudface. She was limping hastily to Swifttail. One of her legs were sprained, and though her eyes were misty with pain, she limped haphazardly over to Paleface. She sniffed at her, exhaling slowly through her nostrils. She looked up, with an anguished look in her chestnut irises, pupils dilated in sorrow. "There is nothing I can do for dear Paleface. She is in SkyClan's paws now." All the cats moaned in grief and slowly formed a line to lick the warrior goodbye. Swifttail looked emotional with deep grieving, and she turned and stared at Lightfur's corpse, knowing this was Paleface's injurer before Coldclaw's assault. But she had also paid the ultimate price for fighting the warrior and bringing her to her near death. Then Swifttail's ears pricked. _That meant Coldclaw had killed Paleface. _Swifttail turned her head, and could hear soft mews of grief, but Coldclaw was nowhere.

Little did Swifttail know, he had dragged Mudface to the side of the clearing, hidden in the gorse, and was dragging her struggling body to a small patch of deserted forest. Now he was there, he dropped her scruff and spat on her, and gave her a withering look of disdain. "You are going to go to Swifttail when you leave here. You are going to say you could have healed Paleface, but you didn't try. Then resign your post or _die_. And if you tell anyone about this, your neck will be broken before you can meow." And with that, he leapt over her, grabbing her scruff and almost tearing the soft skin at her throat as her pulled her neck forcefully the wrong way. With a look or horror, Mudface realised that this was the way he'd kill her - but instead of tearing her neck flesh, he would break it. She quivered and nodded timidly, silently slipping into the gorse bush, back into the camp like a shadow.

She padded up to her honourable leader, who was keeping vigil beside Paleface's body. Whispering a message into her ear, Swifttail looked shocked, then recovered and nodded firmly, although her feline features looked gaunt, stretched into a grim expression of sorrow. Trudging with a heavy heart to the highrock, Swifttail walked onto it and called, "May all cats at least three moons... just come here." Broken under the heavy feeling of guilt, she couldn't bring herself to be the brave leader in the battle before, when Duskpaw had first arrived. The death of Paleface was destroying for Swifttail, as Paleface was Swifttail's closest sibling - she'd never showed any envy over Swifttail's position, or been bitter or cruel to her. Swifttail felt hollow with regret as she surveyed the cats as they plodded with bitterness and fury towards the highrock.

As they settled down, all murmurings silenced, Swifttail looked at the apprentice medicat, Nightpaw, sitting with her head bowed next to Mudface, who looked heartbroken beyond repair. Reluctantly Swifttail cleared her throat, and spoke. "Mudface has resigned from her post as medicat-" There was a deafening eruption of surprised shouts, and Swifttail, for once, did not stop them. She sank down onto the rock, and stared dejectedly at the clan. Her eyes were dim, and she began to cry without tears. The cats sat in shock, as they helplessly watched their leader break down into dry sobs. Mudface stepped forwards, then remembered that she was no longer medicat. She silently stepped back into the crowd of waiting cats. Swifttail sat up, blinking slowly, eyes clouded with the pain of losing kin. "It is time..." she meowed slowly, "To appoint a new medicat." She looked straight at Nightpaw. "Nightpaw will be the new medicat, and she is now going to be called..." The cats waited patiently. "Nightpaw's new name as a medicat is Nightshade. As medicat, a poisonous plant is perfectly suitable. The meeting is over, anyone wishing to speak to Nightshade will have to wait until tomorrow, when her vigil has ended." Swifttail spoke pointedly, staring at Duskpaw, who had recovered and was about to speak to Nightshade. As the crowd dispersed, Mudface began her last night of caring for the injured and the sick. She collected herbs, and began to patch up wounds with gathered cobwebs and dew.


	6. A New Arrival

**Phew. This is pretty long!**

Slowly but surely, the clan began to recover. Duskpaw recovered - and was ready to begin her training. On her first day of training, she was summoned to Swifttail's den. Creeping under the draping ferns concealing the entrance, she saw a tall, brown tabby warrior she-cat, with amber eyes, sitting stiffly, but with a defiant, dignified expression. Swifttail used her nose to motion the warrior, who raised her head when Duskpaw entered. "This is Flamestep. She will be mentoring you during your apprenticeship." Duskpaw dipped her head respectfully, then walked over to Flamestep and gingerly touched noses. This seemed to be the right thing as respect flickered in Flamestep's liquid amber irises. "Duskpaw, your training begins tomorrow," Swifttail told Duskpaw, "I expect you to be in the training arena at sunrise." Duskpaw was confused - _arena_? Duskpaw panicked, but Flamestep comforted her with a meow. "Don't worry, apprentice, the arena is just a large hollow surrounded by a thicket of blackthorns. Blackthorns are just sharper, larger thorns," She confirmed when Duskpaw looked confused again. Duskpaw nodded, and leaped out of the den, bursting to tell her news to Whitepaw and Blossompaw.

After three months of hard training, Duskpaw was ready to be a warrior. But she would have to wait; there was enough on Swifttail's mind at the present time. Eventually, Duskpaw decided to go find Nightshade, for an early morning chat. On her way towards the medicat den, she almost crashed into a silver queen, who jumped nimbly to the side to avoid Duskpaw. "S-sorry, I wasn't looking..." Duskpaw stammered. The she-cat smiled thoughtfully. "So you're Duskpaw, right? The apprentice... petcat?" Duskpaw flinched; thinking she was going to get another bout of insults. Instead, the she-cat grinned again, and extended her neck to sniff Duskpaw. She licked her between her ears, and Duskpaw cocked her head to one side, indicating confusion. "It's a signal of good luck and a new friendship," Duskpaw nodded at the queen's wise words, "I'm Webfur. Nice to meet you, young apprentice. I'm the main nursery queen, so you won't see me much - I'll be underneath the small den hollow underneath that gorse bush over there-" she used her tail to flick toward a brambly bush above a partially, and almost unnoticeable hole, from which loud mewling sounds were emitted. Suddenly, a tiny head appeared from under the bush, swiftly followed by a tiny body that rushed in the direction of the clan's camp wall. It slipped through the blackthorns, out of sight. Webfur wailed in alarm, and rushed over to where the tiny halfmoon kit had disappeared in the bush. "Oh no! Tigerfur will be so upset! What shall I _do_?" Webfur paced the ground. Duskpaw ran up to her, "I'll get the kit!" And with that she squeezed through the brambles, in pursuit of the runaway kit.

Crashing through bushes, Duskpaw sniffed with her mouth partly open to get a better scent. The scent trail was veering off to her left; she leaped over some gorse and carried on into a deep rocky ditch full of murky water. Up above her, on the steep craggy climb back up the muddy slope, was the bedraggled, exhausted kit as it struggled to get the the ridge at the top of the slope. Duskpaw scrambled up the slope as the kit disappeared over the top, and came face-to-face with a panting she-dog.

Hissing, Duskpaw leaped backwards, tumbling back into the slope. The dog cocked it's head to one side, as if questioning her hostility. Picking up the kit in it's mouth, the dog bounded down to where Duskpaw was in the ditch. Handing the kit over, the dog sniffed Duskpaw and found anger and fear present. Duskpaw looked into the soft bronze eyes, and let the defensive stance drop into a relaxed seated position. The dog meant no harm to her, or the kit that whimpered as it lay, forgotten, up to it's scrawny neck in the filthy pool of water. The dog let it's tongue loll limply. "Hey, cat. What's the fuss? I'm Poppy, I live near here. You?" Duskpaw felt her hackles rise involuntarily as she remembered the soft, soppy life she'd once lived. Instead of replying, she gave the dog a hasty nod, picked up the kit in her jaw and jumped off into the undergrowth, to reunite the kit with it's nursery queen.

Returning to the camp, now in the early late afternoon, Duskpaw leaped through the undergrowth and dropped the kit gently at Webfur's paws. "Well done! I'll go tell Swifttail immediately!" Webfur meowed, gratefully brushing Duskpaw's damp flank with her smooth shoulder. She called over her shoulder, "Hey, apprentice," Duskpaw looked around. "Make sure to ask Nightshade for some crushed nettle mixture. It will stop any colds that you could catch from the water." Duskpaw nodded, meowed her thanks and carried on towards the medicat den.

After a good conversation with Nightshade, with some grimacing from the nettles, Duskpaw made her way back to the apprentice den, where Whitepaw and Blossompaw were waiting with a plump thrush for her lunch. "Hi!" Whitepaw greeted Duskpaw as she pushed through the leafy fronds obscuring the entrance to the apprentice den. Blossompaw pushed the thrush towards Duskpaw, with a flash of confirm in her eyes to show it was for her. Shortly after finishing eating, Duskpaw was grooming Blossompaw, and was about to speak when she interrupted by Swifttail's call, "May all cats at least three moons old come to the Highrock." Puzzled, yet excited, the apprentices trotted amiably towards the already gathered cats.

Swifttail's eyes burned into Duskpaw's. "Today, we gather for an important announcement. I'm sure you all know Duskpaw, the petcat who came to join us the hard times, with DarkClan being restless," All cats gazed expectantly at Duskpaw, then back to Swifttail, whose voice didn't waver as she spoke, "Paleface's death was a hard impact for many of us, along with Mudface's resignation." Mudface lowered her head as Coldclaw gave a look of cruel triumph in her direction, which went unnoticed by all other cats. Swifttail continued, "So I'm sure you know that DarkClan is becoming more troublesome. Today, I am going to appoint Duskpaw to be Duskfang. She will be a warrior for as long as she serves EarthClan. The meeting is over - nobody shall interrupt Duskfang's vigil." All cats looked straight in Duskfang's direction, admiration and envy on the other apprentice's faces. Whitepaw and Blossompaw groaned in unison. "You're so _lucky_!" Whitepaw mewed under her breath.

All night, Duskfang sat in silence in the cool moonlight, contemplating her time. The vigil's ended at midmoon, and Duskfang knew from the moon's placing that it was, if fact, midnight already. She was on her way back towards the warrior's den, when a rustle in the foliage to her left caught her attention. A large black cat burst into the EarthClan den, her expression terrified. Silver eyes wild, she hissed at Duskfang and scowled with a look of disgust. "A softborn weakling." she spat. Duskfang started in shock, and the other cat looked at her, then dropped her gaze. "Sorry, but you _do _smell like a petcat... sorry for my outburst."

Swifttail, who had heard the insult and the apology, came to investigate. Immediately the stranger she-cat stood up, and bowed her head. Swifttail smiled. "I see. May I ask which clan you are from?" Swifttail meowed. A look of pure sorrow overcame the defiant features on the other cat's face. Her rigid, alert poise gave way to a slouched, drooping position of defeat. "My name's Shadowfang. I'm from FireClan. There was a fire. A fire caused by _no-minds_. Their campfire gave flames, which burned our entire clan camp, with all of the cats with it. Everyone was killed, except me - I was the sole survivor as a kit. I have been searching for your clan for nineteen months - I have used the skills I'd seen the warriors and the apprentices use, and had managed to scrape and scavenge a living from this dense forest. When the fire struck, I was so heartbroken when I could do nothing as I heard desperate cats wailing as they died - my mother, Flaretail, the leader of FireClan, put me in a hole above the fire. She told me to stay and she'd be back. Only she never did come back.

"I found her body lying near our dear deputy, Ivybranch. There was nothing I could do - they were all gone. My mother; Ivybranch; Lionpelt; Thistlefur; Leafpaw; Canarydown; Olivepelt; Windwhisper; Darkpaw; Grasspaw; Creamkit; Beigekit; Amberkit..." The cat broke off, remembering the sad scene she'd been at - running from body to body, trying to find another survivor. Crying for help. Going back to the hole her mother had placed her, she found another kit. Her sister! Racing over to her small sister, they'd rejoiced and played together in relief as they had each other.

Then, a small no-mind suddenly ran towards them, grabbed Shadowfang's sister, then ran off again. Crying once again, Shadowfang had chased the no-mind until she could not breathe properly. Lying down, she had watched the no-mind disappear, taking her only relative, friend and company with them. She gave a silent, dry sob as she remembered the last chance of hope she had slipping away from a human. Then Swifttail's eyes brightened, and she spoke, "Shadowfang. FireClan had an alliance with EarthClan, like DarkClan with WaterClan and AirClan. If you are truly the daughter of the legendary Flaretail, you are welcome here!" Swifttail spoke, interrupting Shadowfang's thoughts. Shadowfang breathed sharply, then pondered over what the EarthClan leader had just said. She was wise, but didn't know the true feeling of sorrow. But she knew how to console it. Shadowfang raised her head, then smiled. "Thank-you."


	7. Monarchy

**This one's a bit shorter. If you want an OC introduced, just leave a review stating their name, appearance and clan/living style (For example a petcat).**

"So did you ever find your sister?" Duskfang asked Shadowfang. Shadowfang shook her head. "It would be good if I did. We could find some willing loners or EarthClan warriors to start up FireClan again. I would be the leader. I would be Shadowtail!" Her chest fur puffed up, then fell flat and her head drooped. "But I would only do that if I could find my sister. Otherwise I could never rule a clan without her help. In fact... she looks just like me. Black pelt, silver eyes. A little smaller than me. In fact, she looks just like..." All heads turned to look at Duskfang. "...Her." Duskfang stepped backwards in shock. "Is it really you? Show me your right foreleg!" Shadowfang meowed urgently. Tentatively, Duskpaw held her leg out. A small pawprint shaped mark was clear on the skin just above her paw. "It is!" Shadowfang squealed joyfully. "Here, look!" She held her foreleg out; an identical mark was clear. All the cats sat, stunned. All the cats that had scorned the FireClan leader's daughter stepped forwards, begging forgiveness. Duskfang just sat dazed. She had been stolen by that no-mind!

"Come, sister cat. We must rebuild FireClan!" Shadowfang mewed. "Now, who's with me?" A chorus of yowls filled the air. Cats immediately started running for bits of moss, foliage and anything to build the new clan camp. Whitepaw and Blossompaw, closely followed by Webfur, Nightshade, another apprentice and a few warriors crowded round. Several queens followed clutching kits in their jaws. "We'll join your new clan!" Whitepaw meowed, her eyes shining with happiness, almost radiant. A queen with her kit came forwards. Dipping her head respectively, she placed the kit on the ground and meowed, "We queens and our kits can help. These warriors," The queen motioned the male cats standing a yard or so away, "Wolfeye, Bloodface, Preyclaw, Fishfur, Brackenpelt and Hawkspeed will join you. EarthClan has many warriors to spare for you, and in an attack we can unite. Queens too - Lynxpelt and Bluekit, Blackenedfoot and Sparrowkit, Tigerfleck and Mudkit. And me, Rushpelt, and my kits Clawkit, Featherkit and Jetkit. You can count on us to defend you with our lives. After all, EarthClan is a branch off of FireClan descendants!" All the cats nodded happily.

Swifttail stepped in, her graceful head bowing slightly to the assembled cats. "May I have the pleasure of electing the leaders for FireClan?" Shadowfang nodded eagerly. "The leader shall be Shadowfang, but as you all know the leader of DarkClan is Shadowtail. You shall be known as Fangtail." All the cats nodded their agreement. "The deputy shall be Duskfang. That is all." Nightshade quietly stepped up to Fangtail, and bowed her head. "I must stay as medicat for EarthClan, but Orangepelt, Blossompaw's mother, can become the medicat of FireClan. Her pelt fits perfectly." Then Swifttail meowed an announcement, "All cat please assemble before me. Fangtail and Duskfang, please come here," She motioned with a flick of her tail for the sisters to sit beside her. The cats settled in front of the three, hushed whispers exchanged before silence. Swifttail nodded, then began to speak. "Several of our queens, warriors and kits have chosen to join FireClan, as well as apprentices. However, I think I should rename three apprentices, as they have thoroughly completed their training.

"Whitepaw, Snowpaw and Blossompaw, will you both please step forwards." The three apprentices froze, then meekly made their way to stand on the patch of grass in front of Swifttail. "Whitepaw. From this day on, you shall be known as Whitewind. Blossompaw shall be Blossomleaf. And Snowpaw shall be Snowstep." The three cats licked their leader's head in gratitude then looked at her. Snowstep shifted uncomfortably. "Swifttail?" The leader turned her head. "I know I am meant to begin my vigil, but I have a request. May we start rebuilding FireClan tomorrow? And can us three," He motioned at himself, "Join FireClan?" Swifttail nodded her agreement. The warriors rejoiced, then settled themselves for the night.

The next morning, all the cats woke early and picked up all of the supplies they'd found the day before. A cool breeze ruffled their fur, and the buzz of excitement hung heavy in each cat's scent. Fangtail stood beside Swifttail and they began telling each cat their jobs. "Webfur, you organise Webfur and the rest of the nursery queens to carry all of the moss for bedding. Wolfeye, organise a hunting patrol with three other warriors and an apprentice, we'll need the food to give us energy. Duskfang, you organise some other warriors and apprentices to get wood and other supplies. Get going!" Then she turned to Fangtail. "You make sure everybody's doing their assigned job; I'll go assemble your new den. I'll fetch some heather from my den." She ran off into her den, the long leafy fronds concealing the entrance swinging as she slipped through. Fangtail smiled as she saw all of the cats working tirelessly to build the new clan.


	8. Rising From The Ashes

**I haven't planned chapter 9 yet, so it'll be a while... Submit OCs and it'll update quicker!**

Duskfang trotted over to the growing pile of twigs and sticks. Dropping a large clump of brambles, she washed her face before running back to get more. The brambles around EarthClan were being extended to make another den, with a small tunnel for cats from both clans to wiggle through. Soon enough, there was a thick, tall wall of thorns around the new clan camp. Then, sticks were taken and, with some difficulty, woven through the brambles to reinforce them against any gusts of wind. An apprentice den was formed from web and sap sticking sticks and leaves, surrounded by a nest of thorns. The elder den was the same, except the nests were made of heather instead of moss. Swifttail helped Fangtail build her new den, and they worked on a large badger set - the scent was long stale - and they covered the entrance with large leaves then lined the set with heather. Fangtail stepped inside, and the leaves slipped shut behind her. Her paws sank into the heather, and the whole den was filled with a pale green light, from the sun filtering through the leaves. She circled a few times, padded the heather into place, and lay down. It was softer than feather down. She stood again and pawed some mud off of the walls to smoothen them out, then jumped back outside. "Is it satisfactory?" A passing warrior called Dapplefur meowed. Fangtail nodded. Then Duskfang trotted up. "Everything's done; I'll go on border patrol." Fangtail surveyed the picture before her.

"It's perfect." She breathed in awe. Brambles lined the den, curling overhead to look like a huge, formidable thicket that no creature would dare attempt penetrate. Then twigs were woven through the thorns to make an intricate wall; no brambles could harm a cat if they brushed against the wall. Leaves were threaded across more bramble walls, with leaves hiding tunnels dug under the smooth earth for an entrance. There were four of these dens; one for the elders, one for the apprentices, one for the warriors and one for the kits. Each den was lined with moss and leaves to bathe the dens in emerald light. The camp was everything Fangtail could ever have hoped of leading. The kits tumbled playfully in the sunlight streaming into a central clearing, the apprentices were practicing in a newly dug arena with their mentors, the warriors were on patrols and the elders were basking in the warm light filling their den. Everything was perfect. Nearly. Duskfang ran up, out of breath and eyes filled with fear. She gasped, then caught her breath. "Hurry! Assemble warriors, there's been an attack by the stream..." She collapsed weakly after rasping, "It's Deadjaw!"

All the warriors sprinted to the stream, a recovered Duskfang close behind. The riverbed was dry, a result of a blockage downstream. Several cats were crossing. Motionless cat's bodies were strewn around behind them, clumps of fur and splashes of blood littering the bank. Deadjaw looked up and his face twisted into a sneer. Duskfang still bore scratches from his parting ritual, and her left ear wasn't ever going to be whole. "So, petcat. We meet again." The other cats snarled too. Duskfang hissed back, then saw one cat murmur something. "Attack!" Duskfang screeched, and the river bed was trampled flat from pounding paws. Duskfang launched herself at a black, flea-bitten cat, but was wrenched away by a large tom with sapphire, glittering eyes. Spitting, she span around, but the only blue-eyed tom she could see... was Coldclaw.

Coldclaw raced over the embankment, and attacked an EarthClan apprentice. The larger cat hissed, raking a claw over the apprentice's eyes. The small cat let out a screech of pain, pawing fruitlessly at his blinded eyes.

"What do you want with me?" Deadjaw hissed at the EarthClan warriors. Duskfang raised her hackles, and replied, "Get out of here or I swear I'll kill you." Deadjaw turned and ran into the forest. "And never come back!" Duskfang screamed after him.


	9. Sleepwalker

Following the events of the attack, many warriors were injured but fortunately none killed. The setting sun streaked the sky flame colours. Duskfang was thinking of what Deadjaw had said when Wolfeye wandered up. "You wanna come on hunting patrol?" Duskfang nodded, and ran out of the camp, Wolfeye and Hawkspeed on her heels. "We can split and meet here at moonhigh." The cats parted.

Duskfang was sanding stock-still, staring intently at a rabbit. She leaned down, and was ready to pounce when a silvery shape shot in front and swiftly killed the rabbit. Duskfang was annoyed that she'd lost her prey to another cat, that by smell was not in any clan! "That was my prey! State your name and clan!" The cat turned around. Her eyes were a ghostly pale silver, practically white, and her pelt had a ghostly grey shimmer that gave the she-cat a misty appearance. "I'm sorry, was this yours?" The she-cat whispered, her voice barely loud enough for Duskfang's feline hearing ears to pick up. Duskfang stepped backwards, the fur on her neck bristled. She was unnerved, to say the least. "I'm Sleet. I'm a loner." The cat whispered. Duskfang looked at her, and bared her teeth slightly in fear. "I'm Duskfang." She replied, the hair on her back prickled as it stood up. Sleet cocked her head sideways. "What's wrong, Duskfang?" Her voice echoed in the eerily silent forest. Sleet took a step towards Duskfang, who's fur was standing up straight.

Sleet padded towards Duskfang. "Why so scared?" Sleet breathed into Duskfang's ear. At this sentence, Duskfang's ears laid flat against her head. She hissed softly. Sleet, although seeming no threat, was creepy in a daunting sort of way. Duskfang jumped backwards when she felt a wet nose poke her cheek. "What's wrong, Duskfang? Did I scare you? I was only trying to get your scent. It's full of fear, you know." Duskfang looked from side to side, and saw the other two cats in the patrol thundering towards Sleet. Wolfeye hissed menacingly, and Hawkspeed advanced on the spectral cat. Sleet stared at them, not frightened by their aggressive appearances. "What do you want with us?" Duskfang asked Sleet softly. Sleet turned her head to stare unblinkingly into Duskfang's own silver eyes. Duskfang flinched at the ghostly pale irises looking straight at her. Then Sleet spoke. "I wish... to join your clan."

"Yes, Swifttail, Fangtail. I know she may look scary to some, but she will do good in FireClan. She killed that rabbit so fast she was a blur - imagine what she'd be like in battle!" The two leaders glanced at each, she nodded. Swifttail slipped silently from the FireClan camp, disappearing like a shadow into the EarthClan camp. "So, about Sleet. Swifttail and I have agreed that, until she appears to be treacherous or a threat, she may stay. Her name shall be Sleetfur." Then Fangtail walked into her den after giving her sister's cheek a brief rub. Then she was gone, and Duskfang was alone in the clearing with Sleetfur who had just returned from touring the camp. Many curious looks followed her as she padded quietly across the clearing. "May I stay?" Duskfang nodded wearily; it was long past moonhigh and she needed sleep. "Go to the warrior den, over there." Sleetfur nodded and slipped between the ferns obscuring the hole the den. Duskpaw followed soon after, yawning widely. She was asleep as soon as she lay down on the moss.

Duskfang had a restless night, her head filled with dreams as she slept. "_Hello, Duskpaw. It's me, Deadjaw." _Duskfang sat bolt upright, ears pricked for the cat who'd spoken. Emerald eyes glared from the darkness. In a beam of moonlight, a paw with unsheathed claws was outstretched towards her. Duskfang immediately went defensive and hissed at Deadjaw. "Deadjaw! Get out!" Duskfang screeched, claws raking Deadjaw's body. Then the cries turned to sobs, and Deadjaw's dark pelt materialised to a grey-white pelt splattered with red blood. Whitewind sobbed as she was woken by claws scratching her side, and although she clawed her attacker her side still throbbed with pain and blood flowed freely. Her eyes widened when she saw Duskfang glaring at her. "Deadjaw! Get out!" Duskfang yelled, and clawed and bit Whitewind, who fled the den. "Deadjaw, you coward! You can't escape that quickly!" Duskfang screamed, and jumped out of the den, catching Whitewind's leg in a tight claw grip. "You'll go to SkyClan tonight, Deadjaw." The FireClan deputy growled, before launching herself at Whitewind, who yowled and scrabbled to get up. Duskfang landed with a thump, and spun to face Whitewind, her sides heaving. Other cats, who had heard the commotion, were emerging from their dens to see what was happening. All eyes, blue, green, brown and more, widened when they saw the two friends clawing and screeching. Fur fluffed up, Duskfang bit onto Whitewind's neck and threw her into the dust, before standing over her, leaning down to deliver a final, fatal blow to her jugular. Then her eyes cleared, and she stared at Whitewind. "... Whitewind? What..." Duskfang collapsed. Fangtail ran up, and yowled, "Orangepelt! Get, the medicat, quick!"

**So, Lalastar? Did I portray Sleet(fur) right?**


End file.
